Comments on: Interview: Joe R. Lansdale, Author http://www.slushpile.net/index.php/2005/11/02/interview-joe-r-lansdale-author/ Writing about writing Thu, 09 Feb 2012 13:54:38 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: Lawrence E. McKenna http://www.slushpile.net/index.php/2005/11/02/interview-joe-r-lansdale-author/comment-page-1/#comment-187 Lawrence E. McKenna Wed, 09 Nov 2005 04:20:02 +0000 http://www.slushpile.net/?p=315#comment-187 I've been a fan of Joe's for a while and am probably the only person who's permanently lost contact with a relative --and my father at that-- by buying him the Bubba Ho-Tep dvd as a Christmas present! Funny? Guess it depends on your sense of humor, but I'm not lying! And I'm still Joe's fan. Because Joe's a great writer. Perhaps Joe's best insight in this interview is his comment that he mines what interests him. That's what he's done from the beginning of his career to the present. He's never allowed someone to tell him what or how to write, and he's never caved in to "the Market." And he's never pulled punches in his pages. (Although he had Tonto do it. Almost. Check out the comics if you haven't. He rewrites the Lone Ranger legend in approximately 115 words.) Those are the reasons that Joe has formed and developed a very loyal and die-hard group of fans. Joe Lansdale will be remembered, I think, for his ability to use humor to transform the authentically inescapable grotesque and evil aspects of life into, on the one hand, intellectual and near-spiritual (or at least emotional) exercises in empathy, and, on the other hand, adventures that allow readers to vicariously stand up against and (sometimes) defeat what horrifies them. I wish Joe well. And thanks to SlushPile for putting this interview online. Best of times to you all, Lawrence E. McKenna P. S. DC Comics should give a giant "boy howdy" to Joe for revitalizing Jonah Hex. I sincerely hope they offered him a chance to write the comic series that's on the horizon. If not, they should come up with something for Joe (and they should do it, like, yesterday). . . We'd all buy it! I’ve been a fan of Joe’s for a while and am probably the only person who’s permanently lost contact with a relative –and my father at that– by buying him the Bubba Ho-Tep dvd as a Christmas present! Funny? Guess it depends on your sense of humor, but I’m not lying! And I’m still Joe’s fan. Because Joe’s a great writer. Perhaps Joe’s best insight in this interview is his comment that he mines what interests him. That’s what he’s done from the beginning of his career to the present. He’s never allowed someone to tell him what or how to write, and he’s never caved in to “the Market.” And he’s never pulled punches in his pages. (Although he had Tonto do it. Almost. Check out the comics if you haven’t. He rewrites the Lone Ranger legend in approximately 115 words.) Those are the reasons that Joe has formed and developed a very loyal and die-hard group of fans. Joe Lansdale will be remembered, I think, for his ability to use humor to transform the authentically inescapable grotesque and evil aspects of life into, on the one hand, intellectual and near-spiritual (or at least emotional) exercises in empathy, and, on the other hand, adventures that allow readers to vicariously stand up against and (sometimes) defeat what horrifies them. I wish Joe well. And thanks to SlushPile for putting this interview online.

Best of times to you all,

Lawrence E. McKenna

P. S. DC Comics should give a giant “boy howdy” to Joe for revitalizing Jonah Hex. I sincerely hope they offered him a chance to write the comic series that’s on the horizon. If not, they should come up with something for Joe (and they should do it, like, yesterday). . . We’d all buy it!

]]> By: John Dark http://www.slushpile.net/index.php/2005/11/02/interview-joe-r-lansdale-author/comment-page-1/#comment-179 John Dark Sat, 05 Nov 2005 13:51:47 +0000 http://www.slushpile.net/?p=315#comment-179 Very good interview. I've been a Lansdale fan for some time and getting some words on his working methods is always helpful. I liked his words on discipline in martial arts and writing. As any writer knows, no one will ever see your work if you don't plant yourself down and get it done. Which moves on to Lansdale's advise to writers who haven't made the breakthrough to a big publisher (where I'm at). "Put your ass in the chair and write" There is no truer statement than that. And "Stay with it." Simple great advise because if you want to make it you don't quit. This is a venture where you only fail if you quit. Take Care Have Fun John Dark Very good interview. I’ve been a Lansdale fan for some time and getting some words on his working methods is always helpful. I liked his words on discipline in martial arts and writing. As any writer knows, no one will ever see your work if you don’t plant yourself down and get it done. Which moves on to Lansdale’s advise to writers who haven’t made the breakthrough to a big publisher (where I’m at). “Put your ass in the chair and write” There is no truer statement than that. And “Stay with it.” Simple great advise because if you want to make it you don’t quit.
This is a venture where you only fail if you quit.
Take Care
Have Fun
John Dark

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